BELON (Pierre). Histoire de la nature des oyseaux. Paris, Gilles Corrozet, 1555. In-folio, half vellum with corners (18th century binding). First edition of the first book devoted exclusively to birds. Pierre Belon is considered to be the pioneer of ornithology. He presents here a collection of species, none of which has been represented without having been seen by him. The author travelled in search of as many species as possible, often finding them in the marketplaces of the foreign cities he visited. The 157 (out of 160) wood-engraved figures of birds, carefully depicting the particularities of each bird, are the work of the painter Pierre Gourdelle, and others who remain anonymous. These are the first scientific images of birds, made from life, and they are extraordinarily different from the quasi-pictograms given until then. A bird skeleton is shown at the head of the book, juxtaposed with a human skeleton for comparative morphological study. Leaf x4 (pp. 235-236) incomplete; repairs to title and p. 233. Ronsil, n°189 - Anker, 9 - Nissen, IVB, n°86.